This appears to be an antenna that Dr. Rogers used in his experiments involving radio communications transmitted through the earth rather than through the air. In this document there is a drawing of an apparatus using an antenna strongly resembling the one he is holding in our picture. In his experiments, Dr. Rogers was able to hear European long wave stations with the antenna confined to the well, but when the antenna was brought into the air, the stations could not be heard at all.

The Hyattsville, Maryland, home of Dr. Rogers was called Firwood, I believe, and his laboratory was next to his home. Both were demolished years ago and the property is now the site of the Prince Georges County Justice Center on Route One.

Jim (Hyattsville resident)

So says the label on the loop. This is a type of antenna in use even today, with the conducting elements arranged in a tubular fashion around a series of insulating spacers or discs. They are usually linear; I've never before seen one arranged as a loop.

Dr. Rogers was apparently a very prolific inventor who worked on a system to communicate by radio with submerged submarines. In the photo, he seems very proud of his work.

Our subject is Dr. James Harris Rogers (1856-1929) of Hyattsville, Maryland, inventor of the "loop aerial" and holder of numerous patents relating to telegraphy, telephony and radio.

"I been messin' with this radeeo box since 19 ought 19 and she ain't brought in a station yet!"

Typical photographer's mockup - I'm an audio professional, and advertisers and films constantly show microphones or guitars supposedly in use that are not plugged in, people speaking into the wrong end, and dubbing in feedback when not needed. I think many photographers are really quite stupid in cases of representing real life!

[You're completely missing the point of the photo. - Dave]

I'm guessing the operator is Frank Morgan, sure looks like
the Great Oz.

Radio was pretty advanced by 1930 in areas of technology, programing and in the receivers themselves. Period advertising shows them having beautiful wooden cabinetry with integral speakers by then (if anyone had any money with which to actually buy them after the stock market crash.)

[The photo is from around 1930. I think the idea here was to show someone of historical importance in the development of broadcasting. - Dave]

Is Al Fresco related to that renowned radio pioneer, Guglielmo Marconi?

Nice image, but it looks like someone got carried away with manipulations.

[Operator error. Hit refresh! - Dave]

Not much chance of reception since there is nothing plugged into the jacks on the receiver. The paper stuck in the wires is obviously the instructions! Time for the old radio experts to identify the parts.

[Also missing: speaker or headset. - Dave]

Looking in detail, nothing is connected to anything else (the box could be, but all the terminals are in front and nothing is visible there). It is using a loop antenna - which is somewhat directional and for a relatively long wavelength. The receiver looks like a regenerative receiver or an early super heterodyne. (my bet is the regenerative). The loop antenna itself isn't necessarily directly connected to a receiver, but the tuning capacitor (?) should be.

It looks like an anonymous radio pioneer showing off his old gear.

I get Shorpy via the RSS feed, and the above title was just under this photo. The further irony being that my Google Reader will soon be like the radio in the picture: gone.